


Responsibility

by Felin_V



Series: Edelgard month 2020 [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Gen, One Shot, Post-War, The Queen and the Emperor, happy time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:07:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24543604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felin_V/pseuds/Felin_V
Summary: A mini one-short series to celebrate Pride month (Edelgard month).The stories focus on the peaceful day Edelgard spends with her BEgles.This time Edelgard and Petra are having a tea time while talking about their responsibilities as the Emperor and the Queen.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg & Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Series: Edelgard month 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773853
Kudos: 34





	Responsibility

After the war ended, the citizens of Fodlan finally had the true peace they had been looking for decades. With a newly established system that replaced the nobility and Crest, everyone could pursue their dreams without having their birthrights as an obstacle. Various merchants from different continents and countries could trade their goods and wares more freely. As a result, the central market always filled with lively citizens who came out to do the shopping, especially on the lovely day like today, when the clear blue sky and slow warm breeze were bestowed on the city of Enbarr.

Such pleasant weather not only lured the citizens out of their houses but also attracted those who worked within the Enbarr palace to escape the confinement of the immense ceiling to expose their skin under the mild sunlight. And that also included the Emperor and her friend, the Queen of Brigid, sitting together under the magnificent pavilion in the palace garden. 

“So...Petra. What such important matters that you would like to discuss with me?” Edelgard spoke up softly with questions hinted in her tone while looking at Petra, who was preparing her a drink across the delicate iron table. 

“Do not be worrying about that, Edelgard. For now, here. I am wanting you to try it.” Petra replied simply with a bright smile while handing Edelgard a cup of tea that contained an unfamiliar shade of liquid that made the Emperor quirked her brows in curiosity.

Inspecting the liquid in the cup in front of her, Edelgard could see the drink had dark brown color and a sweet scent that reminded her of the sweets she liked to eat with Byleth. Lifting the cup to meet her fine lip tentatively, be careful not to burn her tongue, Edelgard soon realized the familiar sweetness with a bitter aftertaste. 

“Is this...”

Seeing the Emperor’s wide eyes filled with recognition, Petra’s face lit up in joy. “Yes, it is hot cocoa. I drank a lot when I was back in Brigid. It will be helping you relax while boosting your stamina and mood. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find it here, and it costs quite a lot to buy one sack.” 

That was really unfortunate, Edelgard thought while sipping the sweet drink with a pensive expression. The exotic plant seemed to grow well only with a specific type of soil. The Brigid’s soil, to be exact. And so, no matters how many times the farmer tried to grow this plant in the Fodlan’s ground, they would come up with empty hands and wilted plants. Thus, its product, the cocoa beans, was quite a rare ingredient that only a few former nobles could taste them. With the old system had been demolished, it would be better if everyone could afford such a sweet drink. Suddenly, an idea came into Edelgard’s mind. 

“So, this is why you invited me to drink? To discuss the matter regarding the cocoa importation?”

While Edelgard sent Petra an expectant look, the Queen of Brigid seemed to be taken aback by the assumption as if she, in fact, never had any real matters to talk with the Emperor as she claimed earlier.

“Um yes...I think?”

After hearing such a peculiar uncertainty from her friend, who always showed high confidence whenever it was a matter related to Brigid, Edelgard quirked her brows up in confusion. Nonetheless, she let that odd reaction passed, assuming that something might occupy the Queen’s mind at the moment. Instead, Edelgard carried on the topic further to assure her friend to speak her mind.

“Petra, you know I always value your insight and welcome your proposition. After all, we are trying to create an equal bridge between Fodlan and Brigid, are we not?”

Sitting across the Emperor, Petra straightened her back with a small smile adorned her face. Edelgard always listened to her even when she was still a princess, a _guest_ from a faraway country. And Edelgard was the first one who came into her aid when she just moved into this foreign land, treating her as an equal royalty. As a friend.

Seeing the soft smile on Petra’s face, Edelgard took a clue to continue with contemplative and composed voice, “That said, if you are going to ask me regarding the cocoa importation, then yes, I was actually trying to come up with a proper trading contract with Brigid. In the contract, it should include the lists of resources that we can share among the lists of things that could be imported and exported from each country. And everything would be done on equal terms, of course. I recently found that the old contract greatly skewed toward benefiting Fodlan more than necessary, so I will terminate that and form a new one. For example, for Brigid, you will be able to name the price of the cargos you would like to trade, and you can also share your culture with the flocks here if you wish to. For Fodlan, in terms of the rare ingredient such as the cocoa, the more importation of this ingredient, the more affordable price of the cocoa would be for everyone regardless of their position. At the same time, if you decided to share your culture with us, it would open our citizens’ eyes greatly.” 

“I am in absolute agreement. You are always thoughtful for everything, Edelgard.” Petra spoke up brightly with determined mixed with admirable eyes, earning a soft smile from her friend across the table. She never regretted coming to Fodlan because she got to know and forme a deep bond with Edelgard, a capable, thoughtful leader and a caring, receptive royal friend. However,...

Suddenly, Petra’s bright face dimmed as she placed down her cup of hot cocoa on the saucer gently. An unusual, awkward silence hanged over them for a moment before Petra sheepishly confessed, “Actually, the matter with trading was not really why I invited you here, Edelgard.”

With that, Edelgard sent the Queen of Brigid an inquisitive look while tilting her head to the side and stilled could not understand what her friend tried to say. A beat later, Petra took a deep breath and spoke up again with an authoritative and stern voice, “As I am also a queen who is having the responsibility of the whole nation on my back just like you, I understand how you feel, Edelgard. I know why you always so busy with works and doing things for others. But I am also thinking you should take care of yourself too, not just your citizen. If something happened to you, the citizens and the country would be lost with no guiding light.” 

Looking at the Queen of Brigid in front of her with eyes fulled of surprise, once again, Petra never ceased to astonish her with those sincere words and determined eyes. And the fact that she, the Emperor of Flame, just got scolded by the Queen of Brigid prompted a fuzzy feeling inside her chest that evolved into a bubble of mischievous giggles and a warm smile. 

“So that’s why you invited me? Luring me in with a potential politics talk to pry me away from the pile of parchments and the self-destruction? Well played as always, I see.” 

Petra let out a genuine chuckle instead of admitting her plan out loud. “I am just wanting you to enjoy a relaxing time with me. Besides, a good leader knows when to stop and when their body needs a refreshment.” Petra paused a bit before she continued with a concerned voice, “And Dorothea is worried about you. I am, too, as well as the Professor. That is why we think that inviting you to drink cocoa with me might help you...loosen up a bit.”

As if on cue, Edelgard noticed a messy navy hair and a brunette hair poke out of the corner behind Petra, observing the royal friends conversed from afar. While it was not uncommon for the songstress and the former Professor to combine forces to get Edelgard away from a busy schedule, it was quite unusual that each of them was not directly involved with the plan itself. And so, Edelgard turned her eyes back to Petra in front of her and asked with a genuine curiosity, “Then why they sent you? Usually, it should be either Dorothea or Byleth who tried to distract me from my works.”

It was worth noting that when she said ‘usually,’ she actually meant ‘all the time.’ Surprisingly enough, there were only two people in the palace that were very good at preventing the Emperor from working peacefully. The first one was her lover, Byleth, who somehow could distract her attention just by being near her or touching her. She could even say that Byleth was her true weakness. And the second person was her best friend, Dorothea, who seemed to know how to provoke Edelgard with just the right topic because the songstress just knew her too well. But this time, they decided to send the lovely Petra to be a distraction instead, which was quite unusual.

Taking a beat to arrange her thoughts and her words, Petra confessed with a smile. “Well, Dorothea and Professor said that no matter how many times they told you to let go of some of the workloads and take care of yourself, you never seemed to learn. And so, they thought having me...um to talk some sense into you might finally make you learn the lesson.” 

“Is that...so…” Edelgard listened to what their real plan is with wide eyes and mouth hanged slightly open. So they thought she was too stubborn to learn, and that was why they had Petra scolded her instead. Such a revelation urged her to huff out loud with exasperation. However, admittedly, it worked. Having Petra, someone who understood and had the same burden on the shoulders as hers, scolded her did make her reflect on her own behavior. Besides, if someone got scolded by the lovely, kind person such as Petra, then that person should really take a look at themselves. While the girl was a huntress by nature, she never denigrated nor yelled rudely at anyone.

In the end, Edelgard let out a defeated sigh with a slight nod, noting to reconsider her working ethics. “Alright. I understand it now. I will try to take care of myself more in the future.” 

Smiling as bright as the sun, Petra nodded with triumph before offering Edelgard another cup of hot cocoa. And Edelgard complied with a warm smile of her own. After that, the royal friends conversed nonchalantly about everything but works and their responsibilities, taking a break from being the Emperor of Fodlan and the Queen of Brigid to be just women who enjoyed her company under the peaceful blue sky. 

**Author's Note:**

> So I somehow wanted to do something for the Edelgard month. And this is what I came up with.  
> Not sure if I could finish everything as I planned since life gets in the way sometimes.  
> But I hope to write a very small one-short for everyone in the BEgles by the end of this month.  
> If somehow I couldn't finish everyone by the end of this month.....well, I'll continue posting them anyway. lol
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for reading!


End file.
